The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-22
FLAMES A THOUSAND FEET HIGH.
Big Parker and Other Wells Near Toledo on
Fire-Great Quantity of Oil Consumed.

Special TO the Indianapolis 5ournax
TOLEDO O., Sept 21.-Cygnet this morning
was the scene of great excitement, bordering on
panic. The Parker well. No. l, a great oiler,
caught flr Q, and the flames roarea and the burn
ing oil scattered far aud near. The tankage
and rig completely destroyed.
Oil well No. caught from the
famea Four tanks were destroyed. with
their contents. and the loss will reach thou
sands OF dollars An explosion occurred and the
burning. Kissing oil was blown through the
woods for long distance. and the bins and
fences furnished ready food for the confiagra-
tion. Up to q late hour this morning. citizens
were fighting the flames but not, however.
until the Croker. and others adjoining had
When the explosion occurred George John
SOD. who was fighting the flames.
,es. eaogns o and To eae whrlTind anS ns,oes Of
aid could go to him. he was so badly burned
his life is despaired of. His clothes were burned
off. and the raw and blackened flesh showed
whore the fiery oil had fastened itself to him.
Several Of the drillers are missing. and il is
feared that they have perishcd in the flames.
prominent Toledo gentleman. who was an
eyewitness TO the big oil FIRE at Cygnet, says
niaoens he has seen He was
standing with q party, of gentlemen
explosion, looking in the same direction, when
suddenly column Of smoke shot into the air,
which the gentlemon insist was at least 1000
feet high, and acres In extent This column
continued TO pour forth for an hour and the
heat was 80 intense that it could be felt for
nearly two miles. Il impossible
we'll on account of the heat The creek flowing
near was surging river Of fire and was aw
fnl thirs to contemplate, It was fed by the oil
flowing from the big Parker we'll
The Parker we'll No. l. the we'll at which tho,
explosion first occurred is said To be the largest
oil well in the world When first shot, few
days ago. IL made the astounding run Of $4,000
barrels in twentyfour hours. and filled all the
tanks which have been erected by the Buckeye
Pipeline Company. and then overflowed the
surrounding territory. For this reason the
whole territory is saturated with oil, and there
10 danger that the conhagration. now that 1t has
commenced, will prove very extensive. The
wells are located In the Cygnet field, and dozen
Cygnet is thirty. miles from Toledo.
little village the Toledo, Columbus
& Southern Railway. The field is located one
mile south of the village, where there ore large
storage tanks, aud more In process OF construc-
tion owned By the Buckeye Pipo-line There
are thirty IS, 000. barrel tanks in all. and they
have been located at Cygnet within the last ak
weeks a year ago, where CyGnet now stands,
nothing could DO found save forests
and swamps. To-day the place Is
habitants. and fears are Antertainee
for the safety OF the mushroom town. which
Shs been bull: within the last few weeks The
fire was caused by the gas which has been
tinually exbaled, By the wells becoming iguited
by the fire beneath the engine boiler The
woods and everything In close proximity to the
wells. being redolent with oil, were at once in
flames, and sll efforts either to extilguish the
fire, shut of the flow of oil, were futile, and
the fire continued to burn until the derrcks OF
all the wells were consumed end toppled over.
The engineer who operated the engine which
ignited tho gas and whose name is not known,
is thought to have been fatally burned. Ths
life of q companion of his. likewise unknown, is
also despaired of.
Two gentlemen who were driving to Ham
mondsburg. which is located near the scene Of
the eont1agration, were witnesses of the fire.
They said that ther first intimation Of the oc-
currence WAS column OF thick black smoke
arising In a perpendicular column straight to
the sky. Then a tremendous sheet Of flames
followed.
It Is now known that six Of the tanks have
been destroyed. and others are doomsd. A con-
ductcr on the Toledo, Columbus e. Southern
upon the arrival of bis train in this CITY, reports
that the flames are still burning ffercefy, All
communication with the field is cut off by the
flames. The fate Of the men supposed to have
been crernated is stin unknown. Oil mon to.
night stase that the loss will amount to hundreds
of thousands of dollars.